Google Earth

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Moving Beyond Locating Places in Google Earth


google_earth.jpg



Google Earth is a great tool for locating various places around the globe. If you have never used it before, Google Earth is a free software product that allows users to view 3d satellite images of terrain around the globe. It also offers pictures, weather, 3d buildings and many other awesome features. Below is a plugin for Google Earth. It is just a preview of the full software. The full software offers a full search function, including latitude and longitude. You can zoom right in on your house if you want to!

To use the client below use the following controls.

  1. Click inside the Google Earth window
  2. Grab the Earth with your mouse and rotate it.
  3. Use your mouse wheel and roll it to zoom in or out.
  4. Push your mouse wheel down and move your mouse to change viewing angle.




Using Google Earth in the Classroom


There are countless ideas for using Google Earth in the classroom. It is a great tool for learning geography,history, science, and can even be used as a writing prompt in Language Arts! Below you will find some content specific ideas for using Google Earth. You will also find a tutorial on how to create .kmz files using Google Earth. These files allow users to create a "tour" in Google Earth that plays like a movie. You can also enter text and embed videos into the tour! Be creative. Use it however you want. Please share your ideas in the "Discussion" tab on the top of this page.

Check out the tutorial below on creating .kmz files in Google Earth. It describes how sixth grade science used it to create tours of volcanoes and earthquakes. However, you can use it for anything in any subject. Follow the same procedure, just enter your own information!
KML Tutorial.doc


Check out this video on how to create .kmz files:


Here is a quick example of a .kmz tour in Google Earth. Make sure you play the tour by following step 20 in the tutorial above. Don't forget to pause at each stop and click on the place mark icons...
Sample Tour.kmz


Content Specific Ideas:
Social Studies:
  1. Locate various battlefields from ancient wars all the way up through current conflicts.
  2. Create a tour of marching routes of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars
  3. Create a tour of various famous landforms. Embed video of the landforms from YouTube
  4. Create a tour of National Parks and embed videos
  5. Visit the Pyramids, Nile River, Stonehenge and other historical landmarks
  6. Create a tour of shipping routes
  7. Use latitude and longitude to locate places on the globe.

Science:
  1. Map weather patterns across the United States
  2. Create a tour of volcanoes and earthquakes
  3. Visit the Grand Canyon and create a tour of different erosional patterns
  4. Map John Wesley Powells trip down the Colorado River

Language Arts:
  1. Visit the hometowns of famous writers. Discuss geographical features that could have influenced their writing
  2. Create a tour of authors towns and embed video of works being read by students.
  3. Visit the setting of books being read in class.

Math:
  1. Calculate distances between locations on the globe
  2. Calculate driving times from one place to another